347
Jim looked up at his drill sergeant with a gleam in his eye. He had been beaten up both physically and mentally in Officer Candidate School—told he was worthless and didn’t measure up over and over again. He was lower than dirt. Jim smiled from the dusty ground as he completed his last twenty pushups. The sparkle in his eyes revealed the sheer will rising in his stomach. He wouldn’t be broken. Maybe he was nothing but dirt, but he would turn that dust into a tornado of success that would tear through the camp before his time was up.
Sometimes it’s beneficial to be knocked off your pedestal, to find out your shortcomings and look them straight in the eye. Humility will work for you as long as you never, ever give up. The quote from Winston Churchill above takes a mischievous view of how to deal with your humanness. Maybe you look at the talents you have to offer, and you think you’re not that special. That is when you need to let your drive to succeed take over. Take what you’ve been given and make it special. Give everything you’ve got, and that will be enough. You will have what you need to achieve your dreams if you’re willing to give one more big push.
Write in your journal today about how you can go further than you have gone up to this point. What can you do to push harder toward success? How can you go one step further than everyone else? You don’t have to be smarter, funnier, or better looking. All you have to be is willing to go the distance.
348
Rhonda was a walking, talking resume. If you had an extra minute, she would surely take the time to bend your ear about her latest triumphs. It was nauseating. People started to avoid her in the halls. What Rhonda didn’t understand was her friends and co-workers really didn’t care how great she thought she was. Her daily recaps of her successes either bored them or made them feel inadequate themselves. They wanted action. They would much rather witness her change the world than hear her talk about it.
Do you share a little of Rhonda’s desire to let people know about your good qualities? It’s a fairly common human trait. We all want recognition for our good deeds. There is a much better way to do it. Shut your mouth and move your feet. Others will undoubtedly discover your successes if you just put one foot in front of the other and accomplish them. Your actions will have an effect on others, and you want it to be a positive one. So get things done, and stop talking about yourself.
Remove yourself from the focus of conversation today. Ask people about what is going on in their lives. Listen to the answers. You may find new opportunities to be helpful and also contribute your unique talents to situations. Your actions will allow others to discover how great you are, not your words. Words are often a waste of time when you are working to achieve your dreams. People don’t need your help to discover your good qualities. They will be obvious when you use them.
349
Phil knew where he was going—at least he thought he did. He had taken these back roads millions of times as a young man. Phil’s wife wasn’t so sure his memory was solid. She pulled out their navigation system and punched in the proper coordinates.
“I think you should have turned back there, honey,” Phil’s wife offered as she stared at the glowing screen.
“Nonsense! I know exactly where I am,” Phil replied with a smug grin.
An hour later, they stopped at a gas station to confirm his wife’s suspicions. They should have turned back there.
Do you listen to words of caution as you travel the road to success? When you find out you’ve gone the wrong way, how long does it take you to admit it and turn around? How bad does it have to get before you will ask for help?
There is no shame—no humiliation—in being willing to stand corrected. You do not have all the answers, and that’s just fine. There is a living, breathing encyclopedia of knowledge all around you. Do you willingly absorb new information from people who might know a little more than you? Or does it really bother you to admit you don’t have all the answers?
You will achieve your dreams if you continue to follow the right path. The trick is to remember you don’t always hold the navigation system. You can’t do this alone. Admit when you’ve taken a wrong turn. Seek help. Then you will find the right path again.
